Michigan reports more dairy cow herds infected

LANSING — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has notified the public of four more detections of bird flu in dairy cattle herds.

Tim Boring, director of the MDARD, announced that three additional dairy herds in Clinton, Gratiot, and Ionia counties tested positive for H5N1. Mr. Boring said on Wednesday that another herd in Gratiot County also tested positive. This brings the total number of infected herds in Michigan to 15 since March 25.

As of May 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that 51 herds in nine states, including Ohio, have been infected with H5N1 this year.

CDC data also indicates that H5N1 has been detected in poultry in 48 states, resulting in the deaths of more than 90 million birds since January, 2022.

Also this week, Australia’s first case of bird flu in a child was reported by the Victoria Department of Health.

While the H5N1 virus was apparent in both the United States and Australia, they are from different strains, according to the Victoria Department of Health, which reported the child contracted the virus while traveling in India in March.

“The child experienced a severe infection but is no longer unwell and has made a full recovery,” the Victoria health officials reported. “There is no evidence of transmission in Victoria and the chance of additional human cases is very low.”